Destination Wedding
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Carol meets Daryl at a wedding for their mutual friends. AU


Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead. All characters belong to the creators of the television show and graphic novels.

Destination Wedding

The sun was low on the horizon. So low that it appeared to kiss the surface of the ocean as the skies turned beautiful hues of pink and orange. The waves rolled in, and Carol Mason buried her toes in the sand, watching as the tide inched closer and closer with each inward wave. She sighed softly, sifting her fingers through the sand. It was cool and comforting compared to the almost blistering heat of it earlier that afternoon.

She wiggled her toes and leaned her head back, basking in the last few minutes of sunlight as a cool breeze whipped in off of the water. The tide was pulling in closer, soaking her feet now every few moments.

"You're Carol, right?" Carol turned just enough to look behind her at the man walking her way. She'd met him briefly at the rehearsal dinner. He'd gotten into Miami late and came rushing in pulling his suitcase. And she'd spent about five minutes with him at the wedding, considering they'd walked down the aisle together as best man and maid of honor. His hair was longer, wind-swept into his eyes, and his pants were a little too long and dragged behind him in the sand. She noticed he was barefoot and had a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

"Yeah," she offered with a smile, her auburn-brown curls blowing back in the breeze. "Daryl, right?"

"Yeah." He drank down the last of whatever was in his glass. "You known Michonne long?"

"Since third grade," Carol offered with a grin.

"California girl, huh?"

"Guilty," Carol offered with a smile. "You want to sit?"

"Thanks." He settled down in the sand, stretching his legs out. The tide rolled in and soaked him up to his calves. "Shit."

"Should have warned you. Sorry," she laughed. Daryl was struck by the sound of her laugh, by the way her eyes sparkled and her nose crinkled when she laughed. She was beautiful. "So you're the infamous Daryl Dixon from Atlanta. I've heard a lot about you from Rick."

"All bad, I'm sure," Daryl snorted.

"He's told me a few tall tales about getting lost in the woods."

"Tall tales? Hell no. That really happened. Swear to God."

"Oh, so you two were lost in the woods for a week and survived by hunting squirrels and rabbits?"

"Well, he screamed for help for three hours, scared all the food away in a two mile radius, and then _I_ hunted squirrel and rabbit." Carol laughed and shook her head. "Don't believe me?"

"I don't even know you. You could just be feeding me the biggest line of bullshit for all I know."

"Swear on it," Daryl promised. "'Course, Rick probably made himself look like the hero in that story."

"Maybe a little," Carol laughed. The sun looked half-submerged in the sea now, and Carol closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of the evening as the dimming sunlight bathed over the two of them.

"Why ain't you back at the reception?" Daryl asked after a few moments of silence. "Saw you slip out before Michonne threw the bouquet."

"Michonne understands. Weddings aren't my thing," Carol offered with a little shrug. "I got through the toast. That was my goal."

"I ain't a weddin' person either," Daryl offered. "Rick practically had to threaten to hogtie me and throw me in the back of his cruiser to get me down here." Carol laughed at that. "I don't get outta Georgia much."

"You ever been to California?" Carol asked. "Los Angeles?"

"Nah. Too many people."

"Oh, and Atlanta's just a small town," Carol laughed.

"Compared to L.A., probably," Daryl snorted. "Nah, I'm good where I'm at. Got a shop that's doin' pretty good."

"You own it?"

"Yeah. We do custom work on motorcycles. We sell 'em, and we fix 'em." He shrugged. "What is it you do?"

"I work at a publishing company in L.A. I write in my spare time, but I get paid editing other people's stuff right now. It pays the bills, I suppose."

"You ever been to Atlanta?"

"A couple of times for work," Carol offered with a little smile.

"Think you might be in Atlanta again?"

"Maybe. We have conferences a few times a year. You never know," she said with a shrug. "I have to admit, it feels good to get away for a little while, even if it is for a wedding." Carol made a face and stretched a little.

"You ever been married?" Daryl asked.

"Once," Carol snorted. "It didn't last very long. You?"

"Me? Nah. Ain't never found anybody I like spendin' that much time with." Carol laughed.

"Yeah, I get that," she offered. "No, I was married a little over a year."

"Why'd you leave?"

"I didn't," Carol cringed. "He left me." She shook her head. "It came out of nowhere. We were trying to get pregnant, and one day, he comes home and says he made a mistake, that he's found someone else and he wants a divorce." She shrugged.

"Asshole," Daryl snorted.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, but that was, God, ten years ago. I was just out of college, and I thought the next step was getting married and starting a family. Clearly, that wasn't right for me. Turns out, Ed leaving me was the best thing for me. I learned how to make it on my own, I got a good job, and I haven't looked back. Still, back then, I thought at this point in my life, I'd be married with two or three kids. Maybe we'd have a cat or a dog and take yearly vacations to Disney World or something." She shrugged. "Life had other plans."

The sun was nearly set, and Carol looked back toward the hotel, where the banquet room was still lit up and buzzing with wedding guests going to and from the patio doors.

"You want to go back?"

"Nah. I got a early flight back in the morning," Daryl muttered. "You?"

"Same," she shrugged. "I was thinking about a swim, a shower and bed. I know how to live it up, huh?" Daryl chuckled, and he loosened his tie before tossing it aside next to his empty drink glass. It was then that he noticed Carol's own empty drink glass with the blue remnants of whatever fruity drink she'd had glistening in the bottom with the little toothpick umbrella blown away in the sand.

"You ain't thinkin' of swimmin' out here are ya? 'Cause I've seen _Jaws."_

"There's nothing like a swim in the ocean," Carol sighed. "The hotel pool just doesn't cut it if you want the _real_ experience."

"Ain't never swam in the ocean before."

"You're kidding!" Carol gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Serious. Didn't have much growin' up. Either went to the city pool or played in the creek."

"Oh, you don't know what you're missing." She grinned then, and a curious look flashed across her face. "Come on."

"What?"

"Come on," she insisted. She stood up then, looking over her shoulder, and then she stretched. He watched her, watching the way her lavender dress clung to her in all the right places, and to his surprise, she began to slip the straps down her shoulders. He wasn't complaining, but he sure hadn't expected a beautiful woman to undress right in front of him.

It was almost dark at this point, and the sound of music coming from the reception sounded almost a mile away. Daryl cleared his throat and watched as Carol let the dress slip down her body, revealing a lacy white bra and matching panties. _Christ_. She looked down at him and rolled her eyes.

"Give me a break, Dixon. This covers more than a bikini." And then she took a few steps into the tide, letting the water rush up her calves. She squealed at the cold sensation, and Daryl realized his mouth was hanging open like an idiot. She took a few more steps out, and she turned, waist-deep in water, and she held her hand out.

"Come on." He eyed her for a moment, cursing himself for even weighing the pros and cons of taking this gorgeous woman up on her invitation. He stood, unbuttoning his shirt and letting it slide off into the breeze, floating down somewhere in the dry sand. He peeled the undershirt off next and then came the pants, leaving him in nothing but a pair of black boxers.

Carol was shoulder-deep when he stepped in. The water chilled him, but he waded in slowly, digging his toes into the sand below to anchor himself. The cool water surrounded him, and something brushed his leg, making him jump in surprise.

"Shit. What was that?"

"Relax. It's seaweed or a stray fish."

"Stray fish," Daryl smirked. Carol laughed and went below the surface for a moment, soaking her hair and coming back up. Her skin glistened, and she blinked the stinging salt away. Daryl moved to do the same thing, only to find burning pain in his eyes when he came back up. "Son of a bitch."

"Ah, I probably should have told you not to do that if you're not used to the salt water." Carol cringed then, wading closer to him. She brushed her fingers through his hair, pushing it back out of his face. He rubbed his eyes for a moment, and Carol giggled at the sight of him.

"Think it's funny, do ya?" he asked.

"No," Carol laughed. "You just look cute all wet." Daryl grumbled something under his breath and finally blinked the salt away. "So? Aside from the salt. Feels good, right?"

"Yeah. Not bad," Daryl admitted. "Feels good after bein' in that suit all day." He groaned and stretched in the water, and he caught her watching him. "What?"

"Nothing," she smiled.

"What? I got seaweed in my hair or somethin'?"

"No. It's just your eyes. They're so blue. I noticed that at the wedding."

"You were lookin' at me?" he asked. Carol smiled. "I was lookin' at you, too."

"Oh, yeah?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I was lookin' at your freckles." Carol laughed then, and Daryl waded closer to her. "You got the prettiest eyes I ever saw." Carol blushed then, thankful for the darkness, and she gasped softly when the tide crashed against her back, sending them both under for a moment. She came up sputtering, and Daryl coughed, reaching out to touch her arm. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Just didn't expect that." She wiped at her eyes, and another wave hit them, and she groaned. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea."

"Here. Hold onto me." Carol bit her lip and reached out, touching his shoulder, steadying herself in the water. Daryl's hands moved to her waist, and she shivered.

"Oh, you're good," she chuckled.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," she laughed, bringing her other hand to his other shoulder. Daryl smiled then, and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. "For somebody who says they can't find anyone they like enough to spend time with, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet."

"Think that was the waves," Daryl snorted. Carol grinned, and she shrugged her shoulders. She looked down where Daryl's hands were on her waist.

"Sorry. Is that…"

"No, I'm not complaining," she offered. "It's been a while since a guy put his hands on me, even if it was just to save me from drowning."

"Oh," Daryl chuckled. "I, uh…" Now he was stammering, and Carol crinkled her nose, finding him absolutely charming. "I really didn't mean to…I mean, I don't want ya to think that…"

"Daryl?" she asked, moving a little closer, feeling the warmth of his chest against hers now. His gaze moved down to her chest, watching the water trickle down from her hair, onto her shoulders and then down between her breasts.

"Huh?"

"What time is your flight?" she asked.

"Um, six. Six thirty?" He wasn't sure of anything at this point, because the blood was flowing in the opposite direction of his brain.

"Hmm. Mine too," she offered. "You want to share a cab?"

"Ok," he offered dumbly. "I, uh, that sounds good."

"Daryl."

"Huh?"

"This would be a really good time for you to make a move," she whispered, licking her lips and staring at him as another wave pushed into them. Daryl's mouth fell open and then shut again, and he took a deep breath. Carol's arms came up around his neck, and he felt the heat of her body pressed against his.

"You, uh, you want…"

"Do you?"

"I…yeah, I mean, I…"

"Don't over think it," she whispered. "Just go with it." Her mouth was a breath away from his at that moment. He could barely think with his heart hammering in his chest, blood boiling as her fingers gently curled in the hair at the nape of his neck. He kissed her then, and she gasped softly, relaxing as his hands moved up her back, fingers combing through her hair before he moved them down over her ass, pulling her closer. She shivered in his arms, and he pulled back, watching her slowly open her eyes to look up at him. "Are you staying in the hotel?"

"Yeah," he choked out. "You?"

"Mmm." She kissed him again, hand trailing down his chest before dipping under the water, brushing over his erection through his boxers.

"Fuck," he panted.

"What floor?"

"Tenth," he panted. "You?"

"Sixth. Come on." She broke out of his embrace then, taking his hand and leading him out of the water. Once they were out of the water, they made haste picking up their clothing, before rushing toward the back entrance of the hotel where they'd be less likely to be spotted. Daryl handed Carol his shirt to slip on over her underclothes, and once they were inside, Daryl pushed her back against the wall, kissing her deeply, panting when she bit his lip and gave it a little tug.

The back elevators were close, and their sandy, wet feet slipped against the tile. It felt like an eternity waiting for the elevator to open, but once inside, Carol pushed him back against the wall, kissing him deeply before her hand slipped into his boxers, stroking him.

"Jesus," he panted. "You, uh, you're…_fuck. _You're amazing." Carol chuckled then, pulling back the waistband of his boxers to give him a once over. She raised an eyebrow.

"You're not so bad yourself." He pulled her close, kissing her, flipping her so her back was pressed against the wall. He pressed against her then, pressing his knee between her legs. She gasped, grinding herself against him. He slipped his hand inside his shirt, sliding his hand over her stomach and down into her panties. She was hot and wet, ready for him, and he wasn't sure what the hell he did to deserve this moment, but he was thankful nevertheless. He began to stroke her with his fingers, and she gasped, clinging to him as he pushed two fingers inside of her. "Oh God!"

The elevator dinged, and Daryl tore his hand away from her as if he'd been burnt, and she bit her lip, taking his hand in hers, leading him down the hall to her room.

"Where the hell'd you keep your room card?" he asked dumbly, holding on tight to the bundle of clothes under his arm.

"A girl has to improvise sometimes," she murmured, reaching into her bra and pulling out a very wet key card.

"You really think that's gonna work? It's all wet." Daryl asked, as Carol fumbled with the door handle.

"If there's a God, it will," she bit out, letting out a little victory cheer when the light turned green. She pushed the door open, and Daryl followed her in, depositing the mixture of his and her clothing onto the floor. Without hesitation, Carol took his hand and led him to the bed. She pushed him back, and he landed against the mattress with a grunt.

"You ain't wastin' no time," he chuckled, reaching for her. She stood between his legs, looking down at him, hair still dripping with salty sea water. She was like a goddess, lean and toned but soft in all the right places.

"We only have a few hours," she whispered.

"Better make 'em count," he offered. She grinned, reaching behind her back and unclasping her bra. She tossed it aside, and her nipples hardened. Daryl reached for her then, but she wriggled away, bending down to slide her panties off. She kicked them aside and then moved toward him again. He looked her up and down, taking in the sight of her beautiful body, and all he wanted to do was memorize every bit of her, taste every inch. He groaned then, straining against the fabric of his boxers, and Carol's gaze traveled down his chest to the tent in his shorts.

Daryl made quick work of sliding the offending garment off, and Carol crawled over him then, kissing him hungrily. She couldn't figure what had gotten into her. She wasn't the kind of woman who was usually so forward, but there was something about Daryl, something about being at a wedding and feeling some sort of way about her own future that had her throwing caution to the wind and giving herself over to her feelings and desires.

His hands slid over her thighs and up her back, and he moaned softly when her hands curled in his hair. He took the opportunity to grab her around the waist and pull her close, flipping her onto her back and crawling over her. She smiled then, gently running her hands down his back.

"You sure about this?" he asked, peppering kisses down her throat and over her collarbones. He pulled back then, and she gave him a little smile and a nod. "Alright." He got up then, and she sat up a little, watching as he rummaged through the piles of clothes on the floor. He grabbed his wallet and pulled out a little foil packet.

"Tell me that hasn't been in there for ten years."

"No," he snorted, ripping open the package and sliding the condom over his dick. "It's new." Carol quirked an eyebrow, and she reached for him. "Didn't have no plans, but m'glad I was prepared."

"Were you a boy scout?" Carol asked with a giggle, pulling him down onto the bed with her. Daryl snorted, and he shook his head.

"Hell no," he snorted. Carol laughed then, and she bit her lip when he kissed her neck and trailed his tongue along her throat. She spread her legs for him, and he pressed against her, pushing against her core until she was moaning.

"Please," she panted, gently biting down on his earlobe. "Please, Daryl." She reached between her legs, teasing her clit with her fingertips, and he looked down, watching her toy with herself, and he brought his hand over hers, moving it away. She whined in protest, and he chuckled, bending to take a nipple between his teeth. She gasped, sucking in a sharp breath as Daryl teased the little bud with his tongue. He brought one hand between them, gently stroking his fingers through her slick folds, circling the sensitive little nub there while he teased her. "Daryl!"

"Alright, alright," he chuckled, burying his face between her breasts for a moment. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently tugging on him. He looked up and met her with a kiss, grabbing her hips and scooting her down the bed a little. He lined up and pushed inside in one swift motion, and he watched her eyes screw shut as her body shuddered at the intense sensation of being stretched in such a way.

He was still for a moment, pressing the softest of kisses to her lips, shivering with pleasure as her walls squeezed and pulsed around him. His head was spinning, and his heart was hammering against his ribs, and all he could think about as her hands began to trace along his spine was that this was the closest he'd felt to heaven in his entire life. She was perfect, her lips swollen from his kisses, her eyelids fluttering as she adjusted to his size.

Her hands moved down to his ass, giving him a squeeze. A green light. He buried his face against her neck, and he began to move, thrusting against her, squeezing her thighs and her hips with each thrust, feeling his balls tighten as his body threatened to betray him. She gasped softly against his ears, whimpering, her every nerve alive with pleasure.

She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, and he growled against her throat, pushing deeper, pulling out and slamming home again, listening to her cry out against his ear as he pulled her closer to the edge.

And then he pulled out, and she gasped at the sensation, blinking up at him in surprise, her neck and chest flushed with desire.

"C'mere," he whispered, pulling her up to her knees. She wobbled there for a moment, her legs and arms feeling like limp noodles, but when he urged her onto her knees, she flashed a little smile and did as he wanted, grabbing the sheets between her fingers as he scooted up behind her on his knees. He pushed into her again, grabbing her around the middle and thrusting deep, bringing one hand up, pulling her up so her back was flush against his chest, one hand under her breasts, the other toying with her throbbing clit. She reached out, grabbing onto the wall and then to the headboard, desperate to find an anchor as he thrust harder and deeper, bringing her closer and closer.

He gently bit down on her shoulder, leaving the tiniest of red marks, and she gasped, crying out as his tongue soothed over the spot. She leaned forward then, grabbing hold of the headboard and bracing herself as his fingers moved to dig into her hips. She was tight and dripping around him, and all he could think was that he never wanted this to end.

But when he felt her tighten around him and go limp in front of him, he leaned forward, pressing kisses up her spine before he let go, burying his moans against the back of her neck as he came.

"God," she panted, burying her face against the pillow. "Oh my God." He pulled out of her, rolling off of her and tossing the condom in the waste basket. Carol rolled onto her back then, panting and absently reaching for him. He turned onto his side then, chest heaving as he fought for breath, and she smiled, letting out a little laugh. "That was…"

"Jesus," he bit out. "You're amazing." He reached for her, pulling her in close. "Christ, you felt so good." She blushed then, but she made no move to pull away from him. Instead, she welcomed the closeness, sighing softly as he kissed her again. She felt dizzy, and she knew it wasn't the drink she'd had. It was all him. "You ok?"

"I'm good," she whispered. "I'm really good." She took a deep breath, and she ran her fingers through her hair. He watched her, and he couldn't help but smile when she covered her face with her hands. Her chest began to shake with laughter. "God, I never do this. This is…I mean, I know you don't really know me. But this _isn't_ me. I don't…I don't just…" Her face was red, and the laughter stopped, and she sat up in bed. He sat up beside her, and she looked at him. "Sorry. I had a great time. I just…surprised myself." Daryl kissed her shoulder then, and she sighed, smiling as he looked up into her eyes. He kissed her, softly and slowly, and when he pulled back, she bit her lip. "Sorry. I'm ruining this."

"No, you ain't," he promised. He gently brushed his thumb over her lips, and pressed a kiss there.

"I don't date," she chuckled. "I don't go out and meet guys and bring them home. All I planned to do today was get through this wedding, duck out of the party early and get through to tomorrow and go home. I wasn't counting on you."

"I wasn't counting on you," Daryl echoed. "Hell, I was gonna go back to my room and drink, but then I saw you sittin' out here on the beach by yourself, and I thought I'd join ya."

"I'm glad you did," Carol chuckled. "I love Michonne, but this was not an easy day to get through." She sighed. "And tomorrow, it's back to the real world." She looked away, missing the disappointment in Daryl's eyes.

"Yeah," he muttered. "'Course I might stay on an extra day, get my flight changed." Carol smiled then and shook her head.

"I have too much waiting for me at work. I have to get back." He nodded then.

"Yeah. I understand." He shrugged his shoulders. "I had a good time."

"Me too," she smiled. She kissed him once more, and then she started to get out of bed.

"Where you goin'?"

"Shower," Carol chuckled. "I _really_ need a shower."

"Mind if I join ya?"

"That sounds _fantastic_, but unless you've got another condom in that wallet, it's probably not the best idea."

"Ah. Yeah. _Damn."_ Carol grinned then before turning to scurry into the bathroom. Daryl sighed and fell back against the bed, silently cursing himself for only having one condom. _Great. Good job. You meet the perfect woman for one night only, and you have one fucking condom. Awesome._

* * *

When Carol got out of the shower, she slipped into a bathrobe and stepped out into the room. Daryl was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing his pants and undershirt. His button-down and tie were draped over his shoulder.

"Hey," she said with a little smile.

"Hey," he offered back, standing.

"Going somewhere?"

"I should get back to my room," he offered awkwardly. Carol smiled, trying not to let him see the disappointment in her eyes.

"Oh. Yeah, of course. You paid for it. You should use it," she chuckled.

"Well, I was gonna get a shower. My soap and shampoo and everything is down there. I, uh, I can come back if you want."

"You don't have to," she offered. "I understand. Early day tomorrow."

"I'm still up for sharin' that cab. I mean, why not? We both got early flights."

"Ok," Carol smiled. "That sounds good. Ok." Daryl stood then, and he stepped closer to her, leaning down to kiss her softly.

"Good night."

"Night," she whispered, kissing him again. Daryl cast a glance over his shoulder one more time before slipping out of her room and heading up to his.

Carol leaned back against the door, closing her eyes and covering her face with her hands. Her face flushed red, and she wasn't certain if she should be embarrassed or proud of herself. She hadn't been with anyone in a long time, and something about Daryl had just brought out this desire in her she hadn't felt in so long. Honestly, she hadn't felt anything close to it before. Maybe it was that they were practically strangers. Maybe it was the wedding getting to her. Maybe it was just her heart and mind telling her that it was ok to let go and to let someone in. Not everyone was an asshole like Ed Peletier.

Carol's phone buzzed on her night stand, and she sighed, moving to check her message. She was surprised to see a text from Michonne.

_Hey. You ok? You ducked out early._

_I'm fine. You know me. And why are you texting me? Is the party over?_

_Not yet. Some people don't know when to leave. Rick's giving me the eye, too. I'm not starting my honeymoon with an audience._

_You're ridiculous. Tell everyone to get the hell out. Go get some._

_Ooh, listen to you. You sure you're ok?_

_Trust me. I'm perfectly fine. Going to sleep now. Early flight out. _

_Ok. Be careful and be safe._

_I will. Congratulations. Love you._

_Love you, too._

Carol put her phone aside, and she threw herself onto the bed, curling up against the pillows. She inhaled deeply, and she could still smell him, the faint whiff of sea salt and his cologne. She closed her eyes and replayed the events of the night in her mind, and all she wanted was for him to come back. She just wanted him inside of her again. Her body ached for him, and she didn't even know him. Maybe that was what made it so exciting. Whatever the case, he was going back to Atlanta, and she was going back to Los Angeles, and it would certainly be a shame to waste the rest of the night with sleep. She could sleep on the plane.

She bit her lip and got out of bed, tightening the sash on her robe. She grabbed her room key and started down the hall, turning the corner to the elevator and almost smacking right into Daryl in the process.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Daryl?"

"I found a vending machine down the hall from my room," he pointed out, pulling a small pack of condoms out of his back pocket. A smile spread over Carol's, face, and without words, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. When she pulled back, she took his hand, led him down the hall to her room and pulled him inside.

Whatever happened after tomorrow, at least they had this night, and they were going to make it count.


End file.
